Winery proposes new American Viticultural Area

Rick Monroe

Special to the Village News

Management at Fallbrook Winery last week submitted a formal request to the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau of the United States Treasury for the establishment and recognition of an overlapping American Viticultural Area to be named San Luis Rey within the existing South Coast AVA.

“The creation of an AVA allows for the establishment of a recognized geographical area,” said Euan Parker, winemaker. “This allows vineyards inside that area to create an idea of typicity for the wines produced, work on a wine trial that has a specific name – San Luis Rey – which will help bring tourists and business to the area.”

Parker explained it will allow wineries in the area to decide to put that distinction on their bottles if they so decide.

“It creates a collective space/idea for all producers inside it,” he said.

South Coast AVA encompasses 2,148,780 acres and consists of three climate types and varied terrain. South Coast AVA spans major sectors of coastal and inland Southern California, including the entire San Diego and Orange Counties and portions of San Bernardino and Riverside Counties. Using the “South Coast AVA” is therefore not sufficient to describe the origin of the wines of the proposed San Luis Rey viticultural area, a summary of the report states.

The proposed San Luis Rey AVA covers 97,732.65 acres and includes approximately 453 acres of planted vines and planned plantings. Approximately 8% of the total proposed AVA acreage is occupied or has a potential to be occupied by commercial viticulture. Most of the proposed area covers the Lower San Luis Rey River watershed, thus the proposed name San Luis Rey AVA.

The proposed San Luis Rey viticultural area is located between the coast of Pacific Ocean on the southwest, Camp Pendleton on the west, Monserate Mountain and Lancaster Mountain on the east, Santa Margarita Ecological Reserve on the north and the cities of Escondido, San Marcos and Carlsbad on the south. The area encompasses Fallbrook, Bonsall, Oceanside, Vista and partially San Marcos.

Parker said the lengthy proposal includes maps, charts and demographics that need to be reviewed by the government agency. The process could take 1-2 years, he noted.